The Ashanta Chronicles
by Nukta Kupaya
Summary: When a new lion comes to the Pride Lands, what is Simba to do? And what does Vitani see in him? Please read & review!


  
  
The Ashanta Chronicles - Nukta's Arrival  
  
by Nukta Kupaya  
  
This saga began on 2-10-01; Saturday, February 10, 2001.  
  
Author: Just wanted to whip out something that might interest readers a bit. I promise you, the  
next installment of "The Ashanta Chronices" will be better, and lengthier, than this one. I'm still  
in the process of planning what to write... and I sincerely hope you enjoy my work. :) -Nuk  
  
Who exactly is this newcomer to the Pride Lands, and what does he want with Vitani? And what does  
she want with him?  
  
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Vitani looked quietly over the Pride Lands from her perch atop Pride Rock. The sun this time of  
season was quite scorching, but before she came up here a short wallow in the mudhole was   
welcome relief. It was only a few months prior that Zira and Nuka were killed, and Kovu and Kiara  
mated. That pair had two cubs of their own now, and this event made Vitani even more depressed,  
because she was getting older, and she was mateless. Because of the almost-constant ribbing from  
other lionesses in the pride, Vitani never stayed around the pride that often. Distant escapes  
were her preference, and at the moment she decided to view the edges of the kingdom in person.  
  
  
At this point in the year, the water hole was the "hot spot" for the lions to gather near. Their  
water hole, however, was one hidden from the other animals of the savanna very near Pride Rock.   
While the rest of the pride was lounging around, Kovu kept watch a few yards from the others.   
Since Zira's death, some of the renegade lions have been trying to overthrow Simba, to no avail.   
The brown lion saw his sister off in the distance, and ran after her.  
  
"Vitani!"  
The lioness rolled her eyes and sighed when her brother appeared. "What now, Kovu..?  
"I'm just wondering why you've been in such a down and out mood lately.."  
"I've had *enough* mockery from the rest of the pride without needing my brother to join in,   
too," Vitani looked at Kovu through narrowed eyes. "Not to mention it's none of your concern."  
"Geez... a bit touchy, aren't we.."  
"No, Kovu... *you* are going to regret it.." After a deafening roar, Kovu received the wrath of  
Vitani's claws under his chin. He held in a howl, in which he badly needed to let go of, but   
instead watched Vitani run off away from him.  
  
  
"This can't be the Pride Lands..." Nukta muttered to himself. "Never trust a hornbill for   
directions..." He came from the land of Ashanta, which was a journey of nine days away from the  
Pride Lands. Primarily, Nukta journeyed to see the lands in which his friend, Mufasa, once ruled,   
and how his son stacked up against him. "Sun's setting... should find shelter soon or get caught  
by the tsetse flies..." Althought he was looking straight ahead, he failed to see the immediate  
drop off, and slid down an steep embankment. At the moment, however, he didn't realize he landed  
on top of a lioness who was sleeping under an overhang.  
  
Vitani scrambled out from underneath the heavy lion and scowled at him. "Where did you come   
from?!"  
Nukta stared up at her softly. "My apologies, fair lioness... I did not see where I was going  
and fell down that slope there..." He pointed at it with his paw. "I am looking for King Simba,  
if you might know where he is."  
Vitani gave him a queer stare. "What do you want with Simba..? And who are you?" She had to   
question anyone who wanted to see Simba, after all, there were many a lion out there who   
would love to see him dead.  
"How rude of me... allow me to introduce myself," the dark lion got onto his feet once again. "I  
am Kijivu from Ashanta, I've come to see King Simba out of reverence of the king."   
"Okay... Kijivu... this way." Secretly, Vitani hoped Zazu would be nearby on the return to Pride  
Rock so she could warn Simba of the stranger.  
  
  
"Zazu!"  
Swiftly, the hornbill who was a common sight on the savanna swooped onto the lower portion of   
Pride Rock. "Yes, sire?"  
"Have you seen where Vitani is?" Simba's concern wasn't out of real care for her, but of the fact  
she was a part of his pride, and important in that instance.  
Zazu cleared his throat. "I spotted her a time ago while the sun was still high, around the Small  
Gorge by the river. She was with another lion, one I've never seen before."  
This puzzled Simba. "Intruder?"  
"Perhaps... but, seeing how they were not engaging one another in combat, I'm not to believe he   
was out to hurt you, your majesty. However, I'll rally the lionesses and lead you to where I   
last saw her." After Zazu left, Simba summoned Timon and Pumbaa.  
"Yes, mon capiton?" Timon hopped off of Pumbaa's head.  
"I think there might be an intruder in the Pride Lands, I need you to help Kiara care for her  
cubs, okay? But... don't get in the way."  
"Simba, have we ever let you down?" Timon looked up at the semi-scowl on the king's face. "Don't  
say it. We won't."  
  
  
"Is Simba as good of a king as I hear?" Nukta paused for a moment and looked at Vitani.   
"Well, for the most part, yes... but sometimes he can be hard-headed.."  
Nukta laughed softly, then sat down on the soft grass underfoot. "We can all be that way at times,  
dear Vitani... but it's how we counter for what we do wrong that matters."  
The lioness stole a glance from the lion, and turned her head the other way. "I know exactly what  
you mean, Kijivu.." Vitani stopped. She couldn't go into detail about Zira and the like, so she  
switched to another subject. "Would you like me to stay here with you tonight..?"  
Nukta grinned at the thought. "Honest?"  
"Yeah... it's just that you're out here, all alone, and not familiar with the territory. You could  
use someone that's familiar with the area."  
Before Nukta could answer, the subtle sounds of the savanna were pierced by multiple roars by   
approching lions. Vitani stood still- just when she was enjoying herself, Simba had to intrude,  
and with the lionesses! She wanted to hide herself, but it was too little too late for that.   
Simba came up to Nukta with the utmost of fierce facial expressions.  
  
"Mind telling me what you're doing with one of my lionesses...?" Simba sneered. Keeping his   
composure, Nukta stood up on all fours. His mass was greater than that of the king, and his fur  
was much much deeper in color. Plus, to add to his intimidation, Nukta had many scars over his  
body. "I am here to see King Simba of Pride Rock."  
"I am he... what exactly are you here for, other than to see me..?" The king's curiousity held  
high in this stranger.  
"I once heard of a great king called Mufasa, and I know he had a son. I came to see if it is true,  
if his son is as just as his father was."  
Simba responded, mildly. "If you've come to see another Mufasa, you're in the wrong land. May I ask  
who you are..?"  
Nukta slid his paws out in front of himself, and bowed his head. "I am sorry, your Majesty... I  
am Kijivu, from the land of Ashanta. I am a rogue lion, member of the pride of none. At times   
I assist the king of Ashanta, but lately I've seen him not." Nukta then lifted his head back to  
its proper state.  
  
"I see... well, I'm assuming you want to come along... well, you may, but I warn you beforepaw,   
you sleep outside of my den. Understood?" Simba was wary of allowing strangers to sleep among his  
pride, but did allow them to stay underneath the stars.   
Nukta nodded his maned head. "Understood, sire."  
  
  
One of the things Nukta loved about Africa were the sunrises. On this morning, he situated   
himself atop Pride Rock, outstretched, and began to warm himself in the strengthening sun. Before  
long, he noted that Vitani was sitting behind him a little bit, watching. The dark lion tucked his  
feet underneath himself, and motioned for the lioness to sit beside him.  
"Out early this morning..." Vitani tried to strike up a conversation. She wasn't really sure, but  
there was something about this newcomer that she liked.  
Nukta looked back at her. "Yeah... I love the mornings, and like to see them to appreciate the   
day, and everything around us. Not to mention to be able to get to the water hole before the   
rest of the savanna gets to it."   
While Nukta was looking the other way, Vitani leaned against him. This rapidly caught his   
attention, and all he got from her was "I slipped".  
"Careful.." He couldn't help but grin, after all, he took a keen interest in her, without showing  
it, and was tickled pink that she was showing the same interest in him.  
  
Nukta peered at the lioness sitting beside him, wondering what the heck would spike her interest  
in him. It was just odd... a lioness like her, curious about a lion like himself. Whatever the  
reason was, he really didn't care. The length of time since a lioness last took interest in him  
was many a year, and the result was he felt an outcast, a rogue. Could be that he never really  
associated with any other lions in his area, though his social status was not important now.   
  
"Why... did you really come here, Kijivu... I'm just curious, I've never seen any lion like you  
before, that's all.." Vitani looked down at her paws, getting a bit nervous and shy at the moment.  
As Nukta began his reply, he slid one of his scarred paws on Vitani's. "I originally knew King  
Mufasa... he was a friend of mine. I attended the presentation of Simba, and after that, we   
hardly were able to see one another. After I heard Mufasa was killed in a stampede and Taka became  
king, it pained me greatly. I knew Taka better than any other lion in the Pride Lands, and deep   
down, my heart told me his reign as king was dismal. As the years passed, I heard that Simba was  
the new king of Pride Rock, things would be returning."   
When he mentioned "Taka", or Scar, Vitani's eyes drooped, immediately having Nukta ask what he  
did wrong. "Scar... was my father... I realized, after Zira, my mother, died, that he was more  
evil than I ever knew of," she moved her head towards the Outlands. "He may have been bad to   
others, but he was good to me... he loved me.."  
  
Now he felt guilty. Made her, such a sweet lioness, upset. "I... didn't know he was your father..  
I'm sorry..." Vitani sighed, and, in a bold move, rested her head between Nukta's paws. "Not your  
fault... but, I do miss him at times... and Nuka... and Zira..." For some reason, though, Vitani  
dashed off down Pride Rock to the savanna. Nukta took off after her, keeping his distance, however.  
  
  
Nala, along with the rest of the lionesses, lounged underneath an acacia tree near Pride Rock. With  
only a small glance, she saw Vitani running through the tall grass, with the newcomer following.   
She turned to Sarabi with an inquisitive expression. "What was that all about?" Sarabi's face  
was frozen in a state of shock. "You've seen that newcomer, right, Nala..?"   
"Of course... I saw him briefly last night. Why?"  
"It's just that I know him from somewhere... I've seen that lion before..." Sarabi excused herself  
from her conversation with Nala, and trotted off in the direction that Vitani went. Though she   
never liked the idea, she lied to Nala about the stranger. She knew him personally, and knew his  
name as well. For obvious reasons she wasn't about to let it slip, or let her son catch wind of it.  
  
  
"Vitani! I'm sorry!" The dark lion gained considerably on the lioness who was growing weary. "I   
never knew Taka became a father..."   
"It's not that, Kijivu... just the mention of him, the memories of him, they overwhelm me...   
among other things that do.." Short of breath, Vitani flopped over into a small water hole. Nukta  
sat by her head. "If I may ask, what sort of things are bothering you...?"  
Looking up at him softly, she began telling him the mockery and jest she became for the other  
lionesses of the pride.   
"So you see... that's one reason why I'm sort of watching you... I want a mate, but I'm not going  
to pick the first lion that comes along. You are kind, Kijivu... but... I don't know.." Not so  
much as a minute later, Vitani was out of consciousness. Nukta thought it was from the strain  
of running, plus the intense heat. Carefully manipulating her onto his back, the rogue lion took  
her to a shady place where she could revive.  
  
  
After losing the scent trail of Nukta and Vitani, Sarabi came to rest upon a log that nearby a  
place where wildebeest frequented. This time of year, she knew, they weren't here because of  
the water shortages, and this locale was a good distance from the local water hole. Her thoughts  
turned to when Mufasa was still alive, when Nukta would come for a visit with the pride. The only  
noise the former queen would make were long sighs. Now her thoughts were on her Mufasa, and how  
much she missed him. It wouldn't be long, she knew, that she would be reunited with her king.   
However, her calculation of the herd movement won against her, as she was now finding herself   
encircled in a stampede. The last thought she had before she was trampled was of Mufasa.  
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End Part I  
  
Questions? Comments? Contact me via email at (nuktakupaya@hotmail.com). Nukta, Kijivu, Ashanta,   
are copyright 1999-2001 by me, the author, Nukta Kupaya. All other names (Simba, Zazu, Kiara, etc)  
are copyright of the Walt Disney Company. 


End file.
